Bogus soldier up for $21K theft charge
By Tarisai Machakaire
A 21-year-old Harare woman reportedly disguised herself as a soldier before pouncing on a business premises in Belvedere and stealing $21 000.
Mildred Makoto, 21, appeared before Harare magistrate Josephine Sande charged with robbery.
She was remanded in custody before her bail application is heard today.
According to State papers Makoto is employed at Tehila Day Care Centre, Glaudina Harare.
Prosecutor Linda Gadzikwa alleged that on January 23 around 7pm, Makoto and three of her accomplices who are still at large hatched a plan to rob Tawanda Zeze who resides in Belvedere, Harare.
The court heard that Makoto and one of the accomplices wore full army regalia and pounced on Zeze and told him they wanted to interview him about his operations at More Than Conquerors Trust Organisation.
It was alleged that Makoto and her gang dragged Zeze into his bedroom claiming to conduct searches.
While inside, the court heard, Zeze was ordered to open an in-built safe and he complied before they took US$21 000 that was stashed inside and stole three smart phones.
One of the accused persons then blindfolded Zeze with a towel and force marched him out of the house to the gate.
Makoto and her accomplices had a gate-away vehicle parked outside the gate and forced Zeze inside before driving from the scene.
Along the way Zeze was allegedly forced to disclose his EcoCash pin for one of his Econet lines and he complied.
They later dropped him off along Fisher Road, Borrowdale East in Harare and fled from the scene.
Makoto and her accomplices later transferred $527 from Zeze’s EcoCash account into different accounts.
The total value stolen is $21 713 and nothing was recovered.
Makoto was positively identified by money changers whom they had transferred money from Zeze’s EcoCash accounts in exchange for cash.
She also led police to the recovery of a Toyota Ipsum station wagon that was used during the offence. DailyNews
